Innergie mCube Slim Super Compact Universal Laptop Adapter hands-on

To be honest, it's a bit weird getting excited over a power supply. After all, it's the beginning of a dangerous path; that HDMI Switching box still hasn't returned our calls. The strumpet.

But excited we are because the Innergie mCube Slim Super Compact Universal Adapter is no mere power supply. Obviously, as its name suggests, it's thin and highly portable, and adapts universally, but it can also handle the charging duties on two devices at once.

The main body of the mCube Slim has two outputs, one for the multi-purpose power lead, and a USB power port. Therefore, not only can it charge or power a netbook, notebook, laptop or the like, it can supply juice to an iPad, iPhone, iPod and other USB devices that aren't preceded by a lower-case "i". And at the same time, to boot.

Included in the package are 10 separate tips - connectors for all manner of different laptops from brands such as Toshiba, Samsung, Asus, Acer, Dell, HP, Sony, Lenovo and the like. These plug onto the end of the power lead, and straight into your device's socket.

However, there are no USB leads included for compatible equipment, you'll have to supply your own (indeed, Innergie doesn't claim it works with Apple gear, it just does). But surely that's no great ordeal, especially as the mCub Slim negates the need for separate power units.

And that's its biggest benefit. If you're a traveller, like the Pocket-lint team, who takes equipment both business and entertainment-based around the world, you'll be overly familiar with the process of cramming a bag full of adapters and wires. We have often been stopped at customs, who want a good root through our rucksacks thanks to a proliferation of cabling shown on x-ray.

Not so with the Innergie. We might need a couple more connection cables, but only one plug lead and the adapter itself is smaller than most conventional ones.

There's only one thing, it's limited to 65W power output, and as its range of DC out is between 15-21V (switchable on device) it's only recommended for laptops up to 17-inch in screen size (USB output is a constant 5V). Any bigger and you'll a) have enormous arms, and b) have to plump for one of the other Innergie adapters on the market (check them out at myinnergie.com).

The Innergie mCube Slim Super Compact Universal Laptop Adapter is $99.99 (£61.43), although we're unsure whether there are any UK suppliers carrying it at present. A similar product, however, the Innergie mCube Lite Ultra Slim Universal Power Adapter which has the same spec but without the switchable DC output range, is available for around £50 from several suppliers.

Our senior ed of news and features has been a tech and games journalist for more than 27 years, and has been with Pocket-lint for over five. Rik has edited a number of videogame magazines in the past, was deputy editor of Home Cinema Choice, and his TV career included stints as co-presenter of Channel 4's Gamesmaster and Sky One’s Games World.